Doubleback camper van extends 6.5 feet with the press of a button

The Doubleback Van appears to be a normal car on first glance -- at least until you open the sliding side door and hit the button inside. Then the compartment in the rear portion of the van automatically slides outward, doubling the space inside and revealing a full-featured camper with fold-out bed, bench seats, table and small kitchen station. A drop-down bed in the roof allows the entire camper to comfortably house four people when fully extended.

The original van frame on which the Doubleback is based measures 5.92 meters (19.4 feet) long, a generous size for a van but a bit cramped for living. However, once it extends, the pod adds another 2 meters (6.5 feet) for 7.92 meters (25.9 feet) of space.

The extended compartment in the rear of the van is made of a lightweight but incredibly strong aluminum composite that weighs only 130 kilograms (286 lbs). With built-in supports extended, the area can comfortably hold 600 kgs (1322 lbs) of people or cargo. Unfortunately, all that extra space and built-in furniture comes with a price: there’s only room for two seats up in the cab and the car can only safely hold 2-3 belted passengers, depending on the model.

If you want a Doubleback of your very own, it won’t come cheap: the campers start at 55,000 British pounds, the equivalent of around 74,000 US dollars. Each model is custom-built, so there’s plenty of room for alterations based on a customer’s personal taste.